The present invention relates to oilfield equipment, and more particularly to an apparatus for separating water and oil that can be used in-situ.
Conventionally, an oil well is encompassed with a water-retaining moat, or ditch designed to drain water washed away from the area surrounding the drilling or production rig. The ditch is formed about the periphery of a zone defined by the governmental regulations for the protection of the environment. When small amounts of oil escape from the well bore or are spilled by trucks, the rain water tends to carry the oil droplets, along with the rain water into the ditch, wherein the oil-water mixture is retained. A levee is constructed on the outer edge of the ditch to prevent the water from the ditch escaping outside of the defined zone.
Despite all efforts, heavy rains and sometimes flood waters fill the ditch to capacity and cause the water mixed with the suspended oil to flow over the levee, thereby contaminating the surrounding area. From time to time, the ditch is inspected to make sure that the level of liquids in the trench has not exceeded the allowable value. A part of the ditch is made intentionally at a lower level to created the so-called sump. Even the best inspections may miss a critical increase in the liquid level within the sump, which may quickly fill to capacity and overflow if not carefully monitored. From time to time, the water with suspended oil particles is pumped out and transported away from the site to a de-contamination facility, where the oil may be recovered. Naturally, such transportation increases the cost of the oilfield operation.
The present invention contemplates provision of an oil-water separator that can be installed in the trench surrounding the oil well to capture oil and prevent it from being carried over the levee by rising water.